Encyclopedian Dictionary

Runcinate

Pronunciation key

( run′si-nit )
( run′si-nāt′ )

run•ci•nate

adj.

Runcinate

[L. runcinatus pp. of runcinare, to plane off < runcina, a plane (formerly understood as "saw")].

irregular saw-toothed, with teeth or lobes curved backwards as in some leaves.

References and Further Reading

Zoology Quest: Leaf Margins Chart

Emarginate

Pronunciation key

( i-mär′jə-nit )
( i-mär′jə-nāt′)

e•mar•gi•nate

Emarginate leaf

adj.

[L. emarginatus see E- and MARGINATE].

having a notched margin or tip, as with some leaves or wings.

Emarginate leaf tip

References and Further Reading

Zoology Quest: Leaf Tip Type Chart

Gasteromycetes

Gasteromycetes

Gasteromycetes is an invalid term once commonly used for classification of fungi. The accepted term is now Basidiomycetes.

Gasteromycetes included puffballs, earthstars, bird's nest fungi and stinkhorns. They differed from the pore and gill fungi in that all have a peridium over the spore-bearing surface. The peridium, usually several layers thick, ruptures and exposes the spores when they are ripe and fallen off the basidia. When spores are prepared for dispersal they may be scattered by wind, rain or animals. Black spore clouds will be released from a puffball if ruptured. In some bird's nest fungi the spore containing peridioles are splashed out of the cup by rain. In some, the sticky peridiole is equipped with a cord that helps to entangle and hold it to a surface until it splits and releases the spores.

Characteristically, the Gasteromycetes growth occured in soil; some growing in decaying wood. Some species classed in this group grew singly, others in clumps. Fruiting seasons were variegated according to each species and region, but typically the most favorable months were July, August and September.

References and Further Reading

Hymenomycetes

Hymenomycetes

Invalid classification (here). Current accepted name is basidiomycetes.

The term was applied to a natural group classed in earlier systems as "true basidiomycetes".

The hymenomycetes were a large, important and heterogeneous group. Their basic characteristic was that each exposes its hymenium (the fertile layer of basidia) before the spores have completed maturing. Hymenomycetes included the coral, tooth and leather, pore, and gill fungi.

References and Further Reading

Synura uvella

Synura uvella

Found commonly in lakes and ponds. The cells of synura are joined to form a spherical colony. Each cell possesses two flagella.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom	Chromista
Subkingdom	Chromista
Division	Chrysophyta – golden-brown algae, chrysophycophytes
Class	Chrysophyceae
Order	Ochromonadales
Family	Synuraceae
Genus	Synura Ehrenberg, 1834
Species	Synura uvella Ehrenberg, 1834
Synura uvella, Ehrenberg, 1834, Taxonomic Serial No.: 1656

References

Nostoc pruniforme

Nostoc pruniforme

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom	Monera – monerans
Phylum	Cyanophycota – blue-green algae, cyanophytes
Class	Cyanophyceae
Order	Nostocales
Family	Nostocaceae
Genus	Nostoc Vaucher, 1888, Ex Bornet and Flahaul
Species	Nostoc pruniforme C. Agardh
Nostoc pruniforme, C. Agardh, Taxonomic Serial No.: 1168

References

Embryophyte

Embryophyte

In the traditional classification system, the plant kingdom was divided into the Thallophytes and Enbryophytes. In the former division are various groups of algae, fungi and lichens. The Embryophytes are a more complex group including remaining classes of non-flowering plants in addition to flowering groups. Thallophytes totalled some 100,000 species, which fell into 15 or more classes.

References and Further Reading

Zoology Quest: Thallophyta